Devils' Loktionov paying dividends since coming over from Kings

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

With the trade deadline only two days away, the Devils stumble home from a three-game road trip in which they lost twice in a shootout and once in overtime to face the Islanders tonight in a game pivotal to both teams' playoff chances.

The Devils are seventh in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of the ninth-place Islanders, with 13 games remaining. If Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello makes another move to strengthen his team before Wednesday's 3 p.m. deadline, it will be difficult for him top the payoff he's gotten so far from the deal he made Feb. 6 for center Andrei Loktionov.

In what has been a steal for the Devils, Lamoriello gave the Los Angeles Kings just a fifth-round draft pick for Loktionov, who has seven goals and four assists in 18 games since joining the team.

"We've been very fortunate with how things have worked out with Loktionov," Lamoriello admitted.

Loktionov, 22, considers himself very fortunate, too. Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2008, the native of Voskresensk, Russia, had gotten a taste of the NHL with the Kings, playing in 59 regular-season games, including 39 last season. He also played in two playoff games during their run to the Stanley Cup last season, but did not get his name on the Cup as he fell two regular-season games short of the required number.

Loktionov was toiling again on the Kings' AHL team, waiting for another chance to play in the NHL, when the Devils acquired him.

"I just wanted to play and New Jersey gave me that chance," Loktionov said. "I think I'm doing not bad. I'm so glad to be back playing in the NHL. That's all I needed, I guess – to play at this level."

Loktionov wanted to play in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League during the NHL lockout, but the Kings forced him to play in Manchester, N.H., which prompted him to request a trade.

"I was so mad because I had been in Russia for months and they told me I had to come back. 'You have to play here,' " he said. "I didn't know the reason to play here. I had played already three years in the AHL. Maybe it was a showcase [for a trade]. I don't know."

With Loktionov slated to become a restricted free agent this summer, Kings GM Dean Lombardi told The Los Angeles Times that he feared Loktionov "could go back to Russia," so he took the best deal he could get after the lockout ended.

Loktionov said the idea of playing in Russia next season never entered his mind.

"You never know, I guess, but I wasn't thinking about going to Russia," he said. "Maybe [Lombardi] was thinking that, but not me."

Loktionov couldn't be happier with how things worked out, though.

"I'm so happy now," he said. "But, at beginning of the season I wasn't so happy."

Before Ilya Kovalchuk injured his right shoulder, Loktionov had earned a spot as the center on his line. With Kovalchuk out, he's been playing mostly with Adam Henrique and Matt D'Agostini.

Kovalchuk's absence hasn't slowed Loktionov, who had two goals and an assist during the Devils' three-game road trip.

"Every day that I'm around him, I'm impressed by something he does; a skill play he makes you didn't see coming," coach Pete DeBoer said. "There's something every day that he kind of surprises you [with]."

BRIEFS: C Tim Sestito was returned to Albany (AHL). That opens up a roster spot for possibly activating LW Dainius Zubrus (left wrist surgery). … The Devils did not practice Sunday.

Devils' Loktionov paying dividends since coming over from Kings

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

With the trade deadline only two days away, the Devils stumble home from a three-game road trip in which they lost twice in a shootout and once in overtime to face the Islanders tonight in a game pivotal to both teams' playoff chances.

The Devils are seventh in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of the ninth-place Islanders, with 13 games remaining. If Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello makes another move to strengthen his team before Wednesday's 3 p.m. deadline, it will be difficult for him top the payoff he's gotten so far from the deal he made Feb. 6 for center Andrei Loktionov.

In what has been a steal for the Devils, Lamoriello gave the Los Angeles Kings just a fifth-round draft pick for Loktionov, who has seven goals and four assists in 18 games since joining the team.

"We've been very fortunate with how things have worked out with Loktionov," Lamoriello admitted.

Loktionov, 22, considers himself very fortunate, too. Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2008, the native of Voskresensk, Russia, had gotten a taste of the NHL with the Kings, playing in 59 regular-season games, including 39 last season. He also played in two playoff games during their run to the Stanley Cup last season, but did not get his name on the Cup as he fell two regular-season games short of the required number.

Loktionov was toiling again on the Kings' AHL team, waiting for another chance to play in the NHL, when the Devils acquired him.

"I just wanted to play and New Jersey gave me that chance," Loktionov said. "I think I'm doing not bad. I'm so glad to be back playing in the NHL. That's all I needed, I guess – to play at this level."

Loktionov wanted to play in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League during the NHL lockout, but the Kings forced him to play in Manchester, N.H., which prompted him to request a trade.

"I was so mad because I had been in Russia for months and they told me I had to come back. 'You have to play here,' " he said. "I didn't know the reason to play here. I had played already three years in the AHL. Maybe it was a showcase [for a trade]. I don't know."

With Loktionov slated to become a restricted free agent this summer, Kings GM Dean Lombardi told The Los Angeles Times that he feared Loktionov "could go back to Russia," so he took the best deal he could get after the lockout ended.

Loktionov said the idea of playing in Russia next season never entered his mind.

"You never know, I guess, but I wasn't thinking about going to Russia," he said. "Maybe [Lombardi] was thinking that, but not me."

Loktionov couldn't be happier with how things worked out, though.

"I'm so happy now," he said. "But, at beginning of the season I wasn't so happy."

Before Ilya Kovalchuk injured his right shoulder, Loktionov had earned a spot as the center on his line. With Kovalchuk out, he's been playing mostly with Adam Henrique and Matt D'Agostini.

Kovalchuk's absence hasn't slowed Loktionov, who had two goals and an assist during the Devils' three-game road trip.

"Every day that I'm around him, I'm impressed by something he does; a skill play he makes you didn't see coming," coach Pete DeBoer said. "There's something every day that he kind of surprises you [with]."

BRIEFS: C Tim Sestito was returned to Albany (AHL). That opens up a roster spot for possibly activating LW Dainius Zubrus (left wrist surgery). … The Devils did not practice Sunday.